Raising Beast Cubs to Find a Husband-Chapter 23: Courted by Catastrophe I

I looked at Arjun, who was currently cookie-less (since Clover had half of Silas’s). He looked desperate.

"This isn’t about geography," I said softly. "This is about us."

The cubs quieted down.

"What is the most important rule of the ’Little Whiskers Daycare’?"

Arjun stood up and saluted. "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

"No."

Clover raised her hand timidly. "Um... Gentle Paws?"

"That’s a good one," I smiled. "But not the most important."

Silas held up his drawing again. It was a picture of the five of them holding hands.

"Friends?" Jasper guessed.

"Close," I said.

Then, Vali swallowed his cookie and burped. "I know. My dad told me."

He looked at me, his pink eyes suddenly serious. The chaotic energy vanished for a second.

"The rule is: Protect the Chef."

The room went quiet.

I froze. Protect the Chef? That wasn’t my rule. That was...

"Lord Jaeger told you that?" I asked, my voice quiet.

"Yeah," Vali nodded. "He said, ’Vali, you listen to Lady Primrose. You eat her food. And if anyone tries to hurt her... you bite them. Because she is the Pack’s Heart.’"

I felt my face heat up. The Pack’s Heart? Rurik said that?

Arjun nodded solemnly. "My dad said the same thing. He said, ’Protect the Supply Line at all costs. Without the Chef, the army starves.’"

"My brother said you are an Asset," Jasper added, pushing his glasses up. "Unique Assets must be secured and defended against hostile takeovers."

Silas just nodded, his violet eyes unblinking.

I looked at the children. My Hard Mode survival plan had turned into something else entirely. I wasn’t just a nanny to them. To their fathers, I was a strategic resource. A treasure. A Heart.

I walked over to Arjun and handed him the final cookie.

"Well," I said, my voice a little thick. "That’s... a very good rule. Class dismissed."

As they scrambled off to play—Arjun finally getting his sugar fix—I leaned against the counter.

Protect the Chef.

I had a feeling I was going to need that protection very, very soon. Because the Merman Event was still looming on the horizon... and King Caspian de Maris didn’t play by land rules.

The Imperial Hunting Grounds were lush, beautiful, and absolutely terrifying.

When Princess Leonora said "Picnic," I imagined a checkered blanket on a lawn. I did not imagine a sprawling, untamed forest filled with magical flora, supervised by armed guards, where lunch felt less like a meal and more like a tactical insertion.

We arrived in a caravan.

Princess Leonora stepped out of the Royal Carriage looking like a warrior-goddess in a casual silk hunting tunic that cost more than my kidney. She was scanning the area, her hazel eyes locking onto General Rajah Khanda instantly.

"General!" she called out, waving a delicate lace handkerchief. "Perhaps you could assist me with—"

"NOT NOW, YOUR HIGHNESS!" Rajah bellowed, ignoring her completely. He was wearing a tight, sleeveless black training tunic that left his massive arms completely bare, and rugged canvas breeches tucked into heavy boots, looking like he was ready to wrestle a bear. "I MUST SECURE THE PERIMETER FOR LADY PRIMROSE!"

Leonora’s ears drooped. I winced. Oh, honey. He’s not playing hard to get. He’s just dense.

The picnic site was across a shallow, babbling brook. It was maybe three inches deep. There were stepping stones. It was perfectly safe.

But to Arjun, it was the Grand Canyon.

"OBSTACLE DETECTED!" Arjun shrieked, pointing at the water. "Operation: Dry Socks initiated!"

He looked at his father. Then he looked at me. Then he winked (badly).

"Dad!" Arjun yelled. "Primrose has short legs! She will drown! You must extract her!"

"I will not drown in three inches of water, Arjun," I said, stepping toward the stones.

"NEGATIVE!" Rajah roared.

Before I could take another step, the world tilted.

Suddenly, I was airborne. General Rajah Khanda had scooped me up in his arms—bridal style—as effortlessly as if I were a bag of marshmallows.

His chest was hard as a rock beneath the leather tunic. He smelled like campfire smoke and expensive soap. His biceps were literally larger than my head.

Oh no. It’s an Otome CG Moment. The Heroic Carry.

"General!" I squeaked, gripping his massive shoulders instinctively. "Put me down! I can walk!"

"Nonsense!" Rajah grinned, flashing blindingly white teeth. "A Rajah does not let his... Chef... get wet feet! Hold tight, Lady Primrose! We are crossing!"

He didn’t use the stepping stones. He splashed right through the water, making a huge scene.

"Look at my dad’s form!" Arjun cheered from the bank. "Perfect lunge technique! Isn’t he strong, Prim? He can carry two of you! Maybe three!"

"One is sufficient, Arjun!" Rajah laughed, tightening his grip. He looked down at me, his green eyes burning with an intense, golden-retriever-like adoration. "You are light as a feather, my Lady. I could carry you to the ends of the empire."

He thinks I’m frail, my brain concluded. He’s judging my muscle mass. He’s wondering if I get enough protein. This is an intervention.

"That’s... very efficient of you, General," I managed, my face burning.

From the bank, I saw Princess Leonora staring. She looked at the stream. She looked at Rajah carrying me.

Then, with a determined expression, she stepped into the water... and deliberately tripped.

"Oh! Help!" she cried (very unconvincingly).

Rajah didn’t even turn around. "Arjun! The Princess is down! Assist her!"

"ON IT!" Arjun saluted. The seven-year-old splashed into the water and tried to drag the grown woman by her arm. "GET UP, SOLDIER! PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY!"

Leonora looked ready to cry.

We survived the river. We set up the blankets (velvet, courtesy of the Crepusci estate). I was unpacking the sandwiches when I felt a shadow fall over me.

It wasn’t a cloud. It was Archduke Cassian Argentis.

"You are squinting," he observed, his voice cool and smooth.

"It’s sunny, Archduke," I muttered, arranging the fruit platter.

"The sun causes premature aging," Cassian murmured. He stepped closer. Too close. "And your skin is... remarkably fair. It burns easily, I presume?"

"I’m fine, really—"

Thwump.

Cassian slammed his hand against the tree trunk behind me, boxing me in.

The Kabedon. The Wall-Slam. Oh god, why?

He leaned down, his face inches from mine. He smelled like cold mint and old money. His liquid gold eyes scanned my face with terrifying precision.

"Jasper," Cassian called out, not looking away from me. "Bring the salve."

"Affirmative," Jasper drawled, walking over with a small, crystal jar. "Primrose’s epidermis lacks protective scales. She is structurally vulnerable to UV radiation."

"Hold still," Cassian commanded.

He dipped a gloved finger into the jar. Then, he gently, slowly applied the cool, tingling salve to my cheek.

His touch was agonizingly precise. He traced my cheekbone. He dabbed my nose. He swiped his thumb across my chin. It felt less like skincare and more like he was appraising a rare painting he planned to buy.

My heart hammered. He’s so close. He’s literally invading my personal space to moisturize me. Is this a power move? Is he trying to suffocate me with luxury cream?

"There," Cassian whispered, his breath fanning across my ear. "Better. We cannot have our... chef... damaged by the elements."

He pulled back, a smirk playing on his lips. "It would devalue the asset."

"Thank you," I choked out, my face now red for a completely different reason. "Very... practical."

"Brother," Jasper said, adjusting his glasses. "Your heart rate is elevated. Are you overheating?"

Cassian glared at the child. "I am perfectly regulated, Jasper. Go eat a sandwich."

I slumped against the tree.

Two down. Two to go.

I looked across the clearing. Lord Rurik Jaeger was sharpening a stick with a scowl, watching Cassian wipe his glove. Duke Lucien Crepusci was sitting in the deepest shadow of a tree, staring at me unblinkingly.

And Princess Leonora was currently doing pushups with Arjun, trying desperately to impress the Tiger General who was busy eating a melon whole.

I need a drink, I thought. A strong one.